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Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa Recommendations to Policymakers

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Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa Recommendations to Policymakers The Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) was established on 13th December 2001 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the auspices of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the Inter Academy Panel (IAP). NASAC is a consortium of merit-based science academies in Africa and aspires to make the “voice of science” heard by policy and decision makers within Africa and worldwide. NASAC is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of existing national science academies and champions the cause for creation of new academies where none exist. This document is an output from the cooperation between NASAC and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. The Leopoldina is the world’s oldest continuously existing academy for medicine and the natural sciences. It was founded in 1652 and has been located in Halle since 1878. Its more than 1,400 elected members are outstanding scientists from all over the world. The Leopoldina was appointed Germany’s National Academy of Sciences in July 2008. In this function, one of the Leopoldina’s responsibilities is to provide science-based advice to policymakers and to the public. It represents German scientists in international academy circles and maintains links with scientific institutions in European and non-European countries. The cooperation project between NASAC and the Leopoldina is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF). Education and research are a Federal Government policy priority in Germany, based on the firm belief that they are the foundations on which we will build our future in a changing world, and that we will only be able to master the challenges of the 21st century through international cooperation in education, research and science. BMBF therefore cooperates with individual states and institutions on many interdisciplinary projects. The Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa Recommendations to Policymakers © 2014 Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) Published by: Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) Printed by: Kul Graphics Limited iv The Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa: Recommendations to Policymakers Contents Foreword ........................................................................................... vi List of Acronyms ............................................................................... vii 1. Introduction – Why Water is Important in Africa ..............................1 2. Key Messages .....................................................................................2 3. Water, Food and Energy Nexus...........................................................4 4. Education, Knowledge and Capacity Development ............................6 5. Access to Safe Water and Sanitation ..................................................8 6. Water Resources and Infrastructure for Economic Growth .............10 7. Managing Transboundary Systems ...................................................12 8. Global Change and Risk Management .............................................15 9. Water Governance and Management ..............................................17 10. Financing ..........................................................................................19 11. Conclusions ......................................................................................21 12. Acknowledgements ..........................................................................22 13. References ........................................................................................23 The Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa: Recommendations to Policymakers v Foreword Water is a crucial resource with great implications for Africa’s development. Climate change coupled with increasing population growth has led to an increase in water demand. In most African countries the demand outstrips the available water resources. As water availability constantly declines, partitioning of water for domestic consumption, agriculture and other forms of water use is becoming a subject of serious concern. Sound management of Africa’s limited water resources is becoming increasingly important to help meet a fast rising population and increasing demand for food and energy, while ensuring the health of water ecosystems. It is with this background that during the IAP Water Programme meeting held in Pretoria on 30–31 March 2009, the representatives of 13 African academies of science resolved to establish a regional Water Programme for Africa under the auspices of the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC). The principle objective of the programme is to assess and report on the status of water resources in Africa. Subsequently, on 28–31 March 2012, NASAC, in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), the Royal Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, organised a conference on Water Management Issues in Africa. Two further meetings were held as part of the continuation of the cooperation between NASAC and Leopoldina. Following this conference, NASAC continued the collaboration with Leopoldina, to assess and report on the status of water resources in Africa, and this document is one major outcome. This document focuses on why water is important to Africa, and elaborates, through key messages, on how water security, related development and human wellbeing, can be achieved and sustained through targeted policy actions that relate to: water, food and energy nexus; education, knowledge and capacity building; access to safe water and sanitation; water resources and infrastructure for economic growth; management of transboundary water systems; global change and risk management; water governance and management; and financing. Interventions to tackle such priority issues are the concern of all stakeholders (governments, policymakers, scientists, civil society, and, regional and international organisations). The implementation of the proposed actions will provide Africa’s policymakers with a platform to work together to enhance water management capacity and thus improving access to safe drinking water to millions of people within the region. Additionally, it is hoped that governments and the private sector will be stimulated to interact with science academies to enhance local water management capacities, and to contribute to national policy and decision making processes. Prof. Bousmina Mosto Mostapha Board Chair, NASAC vi The Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa: Recommendations to Policymakers Report Team Authors Daniel Olago Cheikh Gaye Thameur Chaibi Salif Diop Olfa Mahjoub Manta Nowbuth Peter Fritz Sunita Facknath Rivka Kfir Report Coordinator Daniel Olago Reader Group Klement Tockner Michael Ahlheim Josephine Ngaira Mike Tumbare Petra Dobner Editor Daniel Olago NASAC Secretariat Team Jackie Olang Rose Nyingi Rahab Gitahi Philbert Okello German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina Team Christiane Diehl Annegret Kuhnigk Design and layout Dezine Creationz Ltd. Funders German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), through the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Royal Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IAP Water Programme The Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa: Recommendations to Policymakers vii List of Acronyms AfDB African Development Bank AMCOW African Ministers Council on Water AUC African Union Commission AWF African Water Facility CAADP Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme CBC Commonwealth Business Communications Limited CICOS International Commission for the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin COMEDAF Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union EAC East African Community ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States ENSO El Niño Southern Oscillation FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FDI Foreign Direct Investment G&A Governance and Accountability GEF Global Environment Facility HLF High Level Forum IAASTD International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency IAP Inter Academy Panel IGAD Inter-Governmental Authority on Development IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IRIN Integrated Regional Information Networks IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management JMP Joint Monitoring Programme LVBC Lake Victoria Basin Commission MDGs Millennium Development Goals NSAS Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System NWSAS North-West Sahara Aquifer System OMVS Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du fleuve Sénégal PAU Pan African University PAUWES PAU Institute on Water and Energy including Climate Change RMCs Regional Member Countries SADC Southern African Development Community SEI Stockholm Environment Institute TWAP Transboundary Waters Assessment Programme TWh TerraWatt hours TYS Ten Year Strategy UN United Nations UNDESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNECA United Nations Economic Commission for Africa UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund WAS Water and Sanitation for Africa WASH Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WHO World Health Organisation WRC World Radiocommunication Conference WSAfrica Water and sanitation for Africa WWF World Wide Fund for Nature viii The Grand Challenge of Water Security in Africa: Recommendations to Policymakers Introduction – Why Water is Important
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